Mandel bread -- aka Jewish biscotti -- is among my mother's favorite treats so for her 82nd birthday (today!) I prepared the cookies from her own handwritten recipe card. Of course, the recipe called for chocolate chips, a rather nontraditional ingredient, but to my mother, it's not dessert unless there's some chocolate involved.
Like biscotti, mandel bread is baked twice, first in a loaf form. When the loaf is still warm, using a good serrated knife, slice it just like you would a loaf of bread.
Lay the slices (they will be somewhat soft) on a cookie sheet or hotel pan and then bake them at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes. (This detail is not in the recipe below.)
Is this easy? Absolutely. IF you're not making it for your mother. (You can read about some previous issues in my post, Calling Dr. Freud.) I had to toss the first dough -- I had forgotten the sugar. You can see the loaf below, leaching oil, on account of this essential missing ingredient.
And for my second attempt, I mis-measured the oil but, determined to save the dough, I simple added some extra flour and sugar. Although the loaf spread way more than I thought was normal, I plowed through and it all turned out ok.
Mandel bread is not my cup of tea (or coffee), but it makes a nice gift. Happy birthday, Mom!
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